Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 413: Killing must be done by legal means (Part )

Zhongnan is deep and secluded, and the mountain breeze is cool.

In Cuiwei Palace, Li Chengqian personally served Li Shimin medicine.

Li Shimin raised his hand slightly, and Li Chengqian stopped.

"What will you do if Lu Dongzan sees through your tactics and does nothing but wait for the Fengshan ceremony next year and then returns to Tubo with Wencheng?" Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian seriously.

"That depends on how An Yan investigates the case." Li Chengqian put down the medicine bowl and said softly, "As long as An Yan can find solid evidence that Gar Qinling is colluding with the traitors and has evil intentions, then I can kill him and imprison Lu Dongzan forever."

"Lu Dongzan is a talented person, and Gar Qinling is also not weak." Li Shimin nodded and said, "It should be so."

Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Songzan is indeed a great man, but he is old.

"Having traveled two thousand miles from Lhasa to fight the Tang Dynasty, victory is not certain, and the price paid would be terrible. But I'm afraid he would be desperate and reckless."

If Songtsen Gampo really wanted to buy time for Tubo by causing mutual destruction with the Tang Dynasty, it would be most disadvantageous to Li Chengqian.

"Although he's only thirty, his body and heart are broken. His only son is dead, and his grandson is only one year old. He's worried too much." Li Shimin shook his head and said, "So, at most, he's just bluffing, sending troops to harass the border. If he can force you to release the hostages, that would be great. If he can't win a couple of rounds on the battlefield, that's fine. And..."

"What's the matter, father?" Li Chengqian asked subconsciously.

"Lu Dongzan is a talented man, but is he truly irreplaceable under Songtsen?" Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian and said, "You and I, father and son, can certainly see his excellence. But at this moment, Songtsen sent him to Chang'an with the intention of disrupting the Tang Dynasty, but he certainly considered the consequences..."

"Your Majesty means that Lu Dongzan is not in Luoshui, but at this moment, someone has taken over his position in Luoshui and is doing what he was originally doing." Li Chengqian understood a little.

Li Shimin slowly closed his eyes and said, "Remember, if you want to kill someone, you must use legal means.

If they flee without permission, their deaths are naturally none of your business, but if they remain in Chang'an and kill someone, you must do so in a way that will earn the most respect from the people."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded seriously. This was the method of killing people and destroying their hearts.

Li Chengqian sat on the ground and raised his head slightly.

The Tang Dynasty and Tubo, one had a change of imperial power, the other had an unstable successor.

Li Chengqian's initial plan was indeed a bit lucky. Although he deployed some military forces in Songzhou and Lanzhou, it could only scare people. If Songzan made a desperate move and attacked, he might really be defeated.

However, his little bit of luck was completely crushed by his father, and just two hours ago, the imperial edict appointing Li Jing as the Inspector of the Northwest Road was issued.

Li Jing's movement was equivalent to 30,000 elite cavalry arriving in Lanzhou.

The subsequent transportation of food and fodder indicated that the Tang Dynasty had begun to prepare for war.

There is still half a year from now until the end of the year. Li Chengqian has enough time to fully prepare for war in the northwest and southwest.

Now that he is ready to go to war, Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling will be completely suffocated.

In this situation, would Songtsen still send troops?

Yes, his father judged that it would happen, but the Tang Dynasty was already prepared for war, so Songtsen Gampo might become cautious instead.

If the Tang Dynasty could win cleanly in the subsequent tests, it would be Songtsen Gampo who would retreat.

In other words, as long as Li Chengqian's arrangements were strict enough, Songtsen Gampo would most likely give up Lu Dongzan and Gar Qinling.

……

Li Chengqian let out a long breath.

Songzan did know Lu Dongzan's abilities, but the current Lu Dongzan was different from the future Lu Dongzan.

In the future, Lu Dongzan, with his own abilities, helped Mangsong Mangzan to secure the throne. At the same time, he went down the plateau to invade Tuyuhun, defeated Tuyuhun, and finally invaded Lanzhou and Shanzhou in the east.

After that came the era of Lun Qinling, and the battle of Dayuechuan was Lun Qinling's highlight moment.

However, are Lu Dongzan and Lun Qinling really irreplaceable now?

Li Chengqian shook his head.

As far as he knew, in Tubo, several major nobles were actually assisting Songtsen in governing the country.

The Gar family that Lu Dongzan and Lun Qinling belong to is actually not a very strong family. They are more like chess pieces supported by Songtsen to be used for balance.

Because they were not strong enough, they were arranged by him to support Mangsong Mangtsen after Songtsen's death.

In other words, as long as he used clever tactics and used war to weaken the power of some people, Songtsen Gampo would be able to rearrange the balance in Tubo and even select a new prime minister.

It's just not that handy.

Therefore, this battle at the end of the year, no, this battle next year, must be fought.

He will even be the battle that Li Chengqian uses to completely establish his authority among the barbarians in the northwest.

Having seen through Songtsen's trump card, Li Chengqian has a great chance of winning this battle.

But at the same time, the battlefield is dangerous and he must be careful.

Once Songtsen mobilized his troops, he would definitely do so with the purpose of winning the battle.

Once Li Chengqian reveals a flaw, it will immediately give Songtsen an opportunity.

It's time to bring some cards out.

A light snoring sounded in his ears. Li Chengqian turned sideways and saw that the retired emperor, who had taken the medicine, had fallen asleep.

He breathed a little lighter, bowed gently to the emperor, and then turned and left.

After walking out of the inner hall, Wu Meiniang, who was standing in the hall, was about to salute, but Li Chengqian simply waved his hand, pointed to the inner hall, and then pointed outside.

Li Chengqian turned and walked outside. Wu Meiniang glanced at the maids around her, hesitated for a moment, but still followed him.

……

A heavy curtain blocked the inside and outside.

Outside the hall, red lanterns were hung high. A guard stood beside each pillar.
Wu Meiniang, dressed in a moon-blue, chest-length skirt, lowered the curtain and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded calmly and asked, "I heard that my father once promised you that after the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Song, he would confer you the title of Concubine."

Wu Meiniang's expression changed slightly, and she lowered her head and said, "That's true."

The emperor suddenly fell ill and then abdicated.

Everything was carried out extremely decisively, which was extremely wise in Wu Meiniang's eyes.

The emperor was lying on the bed, unable to move anything except his mouth. In this situation, it would be better for him to abdicate decisively.

Otherwise, if the prince is really forced into a corner, he will force his way out of the palace.

Fortunately, the emperor was decisive enough and the prince was calm enough, so everything went smoothly until today.

However, the emperor abdicated and became the emperor emeritus, and the concubine he had promised to Wu Meiniang was basically gone.

Wu Meiniang is not worthy of the emperor asking the emperor for help on such a matter.

Wu Meiniang couldn't say anything. After all, she was still by the side of the retired emperor and had some status. Once she left the retired emperor, she would be nothing.

"During this period, you take good care of the emperor. After the Fengshan ceremony is over, I will ask the emperor to confer additional titles on the concubines in the harem, and you will be given the title of Jieyu." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wu Meiniang breathed a sigh of relief, then bowed again.

Li Chengqian looked down at Wu Meiniang, and with joy in his eyes, she became even more charming.

Under the light, the slender moon-green skirt with a light collar swayed downwards, revealing a fleeting moment of fair and charming skin, while Li Chengqian saw the graceful and voluptuous figure.

Li Chengqian raised his head and looked into the hall.

Under the candlelight, several figures were reflected on the paper window.

"You've accompanied me and my father to Cuiwei Palace these past two days. You've heard everything my father and I have said." Li Chengqian lowered his head. Wu Meiniang's expression changed slightly. Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Don't worry. I just want to ask if there's anything my father and I have overlooked."

Wu Meiniang hesitated slightly.

"Just say whatever you want to say." Li Chengqian waved his hand.

Wu Meiniang breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Your Highness, do you really have to kill Lu Dongzan and his son?"

Li Chengqian was slightly stunned.

Wu Meiniang continued to bow and said, "I see that Your Majesty and Your Highness value Lu Dongzan and his son very much. If that's the case, why not spare their lives and let them serve the Tang Dynasty at the end... As for how to serve the Tang Dynasty and Your Majesty wholeheartedly, I think Your Majesty should have a solution."

Li Chengqian fell silent. Then, he shook his head slightly and said, "They have harmed my father so much. If I don't kill them, I will feel uneasy."

Wu Meiniang looked at Li Chengqian carefully. From the emperor's momentary pause, she could hear that Li Chengqian was a little moved.

However, the crimes committed by these two people are really too serious.

"Alright, Consort Wu, please go back." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Consort Wu, for serving Father during this period, your monthly allowance will be doubled."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Wu Meiniang couldn't help but bow with joy on her face, then raised her head slightly.

Li Chengqian didn't say anything, just turned around and looked at the mountains in the distance.

Wu Meiniang looked up at this moment, and the edge of Li Chengqian's finger accidentally brushed against Wu Meiniang's lips.

For a moment, Wu Meiniang felt a slight shudder.

He even bent his body and legs, and his feet were unstable for a moment.

"Let's go back." Li Chengqian turned his back to Wu Meiniang, as if he felt nothing, and looked up at the crescent moon above his head.

……

It is now the end of the month and the crescent moon is hanging in the western sky.

It seems that the direction below is facing Tubo.

Tibet.

Li Chengqian pondered carefully.

Tubo was a country founded by Songtsen Gampo. He had his own base, the most prosperous Shannan area in the southeast of Tubo.

At that time, they were still called the Yak Tribe. Later, as they gradually matured, they changed their name to the Tubo Tribe.

After that, it gradually annexed the various tribes south of the Tanggula Mountains and became truly powerful.

Later, he annexed the Xiangxiong, Subi, Tabu, Gongbu, and Niangbu tribes and moved the capital to Lhasa, thus establishing the Tubo Kingdom.

In fact, it has only been fifteen years since the establishment of Tubo.

The Tibetans were Songtsen's base, and the Gar family was a relatively ordinary Tibetan family. However, because of Songtsen's appreciation for Lu Dongzan, this family gradually rose.

The key to Lu Dongzan becoming the prime minister of Tubo was not only Songtsen’s trust, but also the support of various Tubo families.

Once Lu Dongzan is gone, these Tubo families only need to put forward another person, even if he is not as smart and capable as Lu Dongzan, he will be enough to stabilize the situation.

Even with Lu Dongzan's death, Tubo would not collapse immediately, and the situation would not even get much worse. It was just that Songtsan was slapped hard in the face by Li Chengqian.

The real danger to Tubo came a few years later.

If Li Chengqian continued to oppress the Tibetans, they would certainly unite, but as long as he gave them a little sweetness to let them relax, then the entire Tibetan people would probably immediately relax completely.

In Li Chengqian's mind, a complete set of methods to completely disintegrate Tubo gradually formed.

Of course, the prerequisite is that he wins the war with Tubo at the end of the year.

Even a big win.

(End of this chapter)